ARTICLES ONLINE AT SCI FI - ARIZONA
Michael McCollum
December, 1998
We offer this report as a public service for our regular visitors and for
everyone who is interested in science fiction and writing. You can now reach
us by typing http://scifi-az.com , or the usual http://www.scifi-az.com .
WRITER'S WORKSHOP
The December articles are now in the Writer's Workshop. This month we have:
The Art of Writing Series: Writing in the 21st Century
The future is bearing down on writers like a runaway freight train. There
will be more change in our profession in the next 20 years than in the
previous 500. Don't be caught unaware. Learn what writing will be like in
the next century and the major opportunities that are about to open up for
writers. This is the longest and most important article we've published in
the Art of Writing series. Don't miss it! (7500 words)
http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-05.htm
The Art of Science Fiction Series: Galactic Empires and Interstellar
Federations, Part II
We continue our exploration of government structure among the stars. It turns
out that the variety of bureaucrat who collects your taxes depends almost
exclusively on the top speed of your starships. Whether you live under a
loose collection of independent colonies, an interstellar federation, or the
galactic empire so loved by science fiction writers is determined by the
engineers, not the politicians. As an engineer myself, I can only say that is
as it should be! (6000 words)
http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-05.htm
NEW NOVEL ONLINE
We have a new novel. The Sails of Tau Ceti is a first contact novel with a
difference. What would you do if you discovered 22,000 giant alien ships
filled with refugees were inbound for the solar system, and no one but you
knows anything about it? Think you know the answer? Think again. The
situation may be much more complicated than you think.
http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-05.htm
ART GALLERY
Since it went online, the art gallery has proven to be our most successful
feature. Don Dixon's paintings of other worlds, both real and imagined, have
made it possible for many people to experience the beauty of the universe. His
spacescapes have graced over 60 book covers, scores of magazines, and are in
the collections of Ray Bradbury and Larry Niven. We are extremely proud that
he has chosen to exhibit his work in the Sci Fi - Arizona Art Gallery. You can
download images and use them for wallpaper, or else purchase a high quality
print signed by the artist.
http://www.scifi-az.com/gallery.htm
AWARDS
Sci Fi - Arizona has won two awards (unsolicited). We are honored to receive
them and will display them proudly on our home page .
The first is from Brad Richardson's Speculative Visions. The Visionary Award
is for excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy on the web, and is given for
Sci-fi Arizona's commitment to both entertainment and help for writers.
The second award is from Links2Go. The Key Award is given to approximately
one website in one thousand, and is awarded for web page organization and ease
of navigation.
MAJOR CHANGES
Active Graphics Section
We've added the Active Graphics Section. The content is the same, but the
graphics have been significantly improved. If you have a fast computer and a
modern browser (Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer 4.0), you might
want to check it out. Best viewed at 600 x 800 and Java must be activated!
http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz2-01.htm
Web Services Division
People often email me to ask me about my experiences as a web entrepreneur.
If you are interested in the business of online publishing as well as the
content, then you may want to visit our new web services division, SFAZ
Technologies. I have written a 15,000 word article (1/4 the size of a
paperback novel) on my adventures going online: "A Small Entrepreneur's Guide
To Building A Web Site." The article comes in both HTML and PDF formats and
is a free download.
http://www.scifi-az.com/web/free0.htm
RE-EDITED ELECTRONIC BOOKS
All electronic books have been reedited and reformatted using Adobe Acrobat
3.0. This new software has much better typography than the previous version.
http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-04.htm
HARDBACK BOOKS
We have now added HARDBACK BOOKS to our repertoire. Thunderstrike! is online
in a library quality, hard cover edition that you would be proud to add to any
bookshelf. Go to the Thunderstrike Page
http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-04h.htm
ART OF WRITING BOOKS
We have collected the first 16 articles in both of our series into two full
length books. If you came in late or otherwise missed some of the articles,
here is your opportunity to get them all in one handy package!
http://www.scifi-az.com/sfaz-05d.htm
ARTICLES ARCHIVE
We now have all our articles online in the archive page. If you are
interested in any past article, you can obtain it for the low cost of $1.00
through the I-Micros electronic payment system. Please visit and observe what
commerce is going to be like all over the Internet in the future!
http://www.scifi-az.com/archive1.htm
WE NOW HAVE REAL BOOKS!
We have something new and unique at our virtual bookstore -- REAL BOOKS! As a
result of numerous requests, Sci Fi - Arizona is now offering hard copy books
of the novels you have been downloading as electronic files for the past six
months. The books are similar to large format trade paperbacks in size, but
much closer to hard cover books in quality. If you find that you have trouble
reading your PC in bed, then we have the solution for you - a new miracle
material for pixel display called PAPER!!!